Uncle Sam Steps In

[relevant extracts of the White House press Briefing by Ari Fleischer, June 5]

 Ari Fleischer:

And finally, today the President telephoned the leaders of India and Pakistan urging them to take stepsthat will ease tensions in the region and reduce the risk of war, a message Deputy Secretary of State Armitageand Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld will reiterate during their visit to South Asia.

The President reiterated to President Musharraf that the United States expects Pakistan to live up to thecommitment Pakistan has made to end all support for terrorism. The President emphasized to Prime MinisterVajpayee in a phone call that ended literally just minutes ago the need for India to respond withde-escalatory steps. To both leaders, the President stressed the need to choose the path of diplomacy.

South Asia is a region of tremendous potential. Armed conflict will do nothing to improve the lives of thepeople in India or in Pakistan; it will instead block the future of both nations. The United States is readyto help the parties in their efforts to resolve the many underlying issues that divide them.

Question: Ari, on that, did the two leaders respond favorably in the President's views? Did they give any signalsthat they are standing down, as it were, or de-escalating this crisis?

Ari Fleischer: I think time will tell, David. They both understand the President's message, and thePresident's message is strongly that war doesn't serve either party. And the United States will continue towork very closely with each party, but time will tell.

Question: Are you saying that they responded favorably or unfavorably?

Ari Fleischer: Our efforts will be ongoing. They understood the President's message. They appreciated thePresident's message. And what's important now is that both parties take the actions to reduce the tensions --on the side of Pakistan, to do everything in its power to stop the incursions into the Line of Control; andIndia, to take steps to de-escalate. Time will tell.

Terry?

Question: Can I just follow up on --

Ari Fleischer: Go ahead, David, follow up, and then Terry.

Question: Why did the President make these calls to these leaders today?

Ari Fleischer: What you're seeing is an ongoing diplomatic effort that has been launched not only directlyand personally by the President, but by other leaders around the world. President Putin, for example, held arecent meeting in Asia and has played a constructive role directly with the principals, with Prime MinisterVajpayee, with President Musharraf. And, as I mentioned, we have the upcoming visits by Secretary Armitage andSecretary Rumsfeld to South Asia. So it's part of ongoing efforts to help the parties to help themselves toreduce the violence and reduce the tension.

Question: Is it fair to see this presidential intervention as a sign that things aren't getting better?

Ari Fleischer: No, I think it's part of ongoing efforts in a tense region, a region that remains tense anddelicate, and a region that the President will remain personally engaged in and involved in; so, too, will hisgovernment.

Question: Has the President spoken to President Putin about his efforts? And does he think he can succeed in someway where Putin failed?

Ari Fleischer: Well, the President spoke with President Putin during his visit to Moscow and St Petersburgdirectly about the situation between India and Pakistan. President Putin, when he told President Bush that hewould be meeting with the two, President Bush welcomed it, said that's constructive, that's wise of you tomeet with these leaders. And I think it's part of a world that's stands shoulder-to-shoulder and giving Indiaand Pakistan a unified message: war is not in your interest, and war is not in the interest of your neighborsor nations that live far away.

Question: But Putin failed to make progress at the Kazakhstan meeting. Is there something else President Bushthinks he can do?

Ari Fleischer: I don't -- you know, progress is going to be measured day by day. In a tense situation, lackof war is the goal. Reduction of tension is the goal. And while it remains tense, it remains delicate. War isnot inevitable. And the diplomatic efforts of the United States, from the President on down, are aimed atmaking sure it's not only inevitable, but we do everything we can to prevent it from happening.

Helen?

Question: Is this the first time the President has made these personal calls to the leaders?

Ari Fleischer: No.

Question: And also, does he have a solution? In the event that they do pull back, is there another step to betaken?

Ari Fleischer: Very often in crises like this, one of the reasons that things can escalate and get out ofcontrol or lead to war is that the two parties don't listen to each other. And very often what they look foris a third party to come in and make sure that messages are communicated back and forth, that lines that thetwo parties themselves might close are forced to be open as a result of the diplomacy of others. And so wecontinue to urge dialogue between India and Pakistan. And that's where the situation is.

John?

Question: Ari, in terms of what the President is willing to do to resolve the crisis between India and Pakistan, ishe willing to put forward the services of the United States as a mediator in the Kashmir issue? And what's thePresident's position on the right of the Kashmiris to self-determination?

Ari Fleischer: Well, the President does believe that the voices of the people of Kashmir has to be heard inthis dispute. But the question of a mediator -- the United States is playing the role of a party that ishelping to bring the two parties together through communications and dialogue. But we will help the twoparties to the degree that they think are wise and are welcome. But, fundamentally, this is an issue whereIndia and Pakistan need to talk to each other to help reduce tensions, and we're there to facilitate that.

Question: Ari, can I follow on that? Did the President encourage, or was there discussion about the two sidestalking directly at this point to each other?

Ari Fleischer: The President made the case that I just described, and he stressed the importance ofdialogue.

Question: Is there a response, the two sides said that they were willing --

Ari Fleischer: Again, time will tell.

Question: One more question. Any discussion of the U.S. providing any monitors to patrol the Line of Control?

Ari Fleischer: No. That was not part of the discussion.

Question: Is that under consideration?

Ari Fleischer: Again, the United States' role will be to continue to encourage a de-escalation, a reductionof tension, and communication between the nations. And that's the -- that's what's under discussion now. I'djust leave it at that.

Question: When you say de-escalation for India -- pulling troops away from the border, is that what you mean?

Ari Fleischer: Well, clearly, one way to reduce the risk of war is to de-emphasize the instruments of war,and that includes troops.

[...]

Ari Fleischer: I'll let you know if he makes any -- (laughter) -- if he makes any phone calls. And Iappreciate the lightness of the -- we have to stay in similar questions for the next five minutes.

Question: Did he watch the hockey -- (laughter.)

Ari Fleischer: Let's see -- Connie, Goyal -- (laughter) -- this does not look like a likely hand that'sgoing to continue that line of questioning. So we'll continue with Goyal.

Question: Going back to India and Pakistan, a couple questions. One, if you have any comments on the Monday nightNightline? They said that when General Musharraf speaks in Urdu, he speaks differently to his people. And Iheard that also. And he speaks in English to the United States, and -- he speaks differently, two differentviews of his comments. That is why the problem is not going to be solved, terrorism against India in Kashmir.

And two, India's Ambassador here -- said that largest, world's largest democracy -- from the terrorists,with about 75 terrorist camps inside Pakistan's Kashmir, and over 3,000 to 5,000 people or terrorists arebeing trained there right now. And also, Newsweek in this latest issue is saying that al Qaedas are regroupingin Pakistan. And finally, U.S. intelligence report is saying that Pakistan is trading nuclear secrets withSaudi Arabia in exchange for cash so he can expand its nuclear program.

Ari Fleischer: I have not heard the last point. But the President speaks with one message to both PrimeMinister Vajpayee and to President Musharraf, and it's the message I just cited. And it's the diplomacy thatthe world is in the middle of, to try to help both parties to de-escalate and to reduce tensions.

Connie?

Question: Also about India-Pakistan -- sorry about that. Will the President offer a tangible proposal to the sides,such as a Mitchell Plan the way we've got in Ireland and the Middle East? And this I asked before -- will theU.S. ever accept a divided, independent Kashmir?

Ari Fleischer: I'm not going to speculate about what the future may bring, other than to say that the stagewe are in right now is focused on bringing stability and reducing tensions and helping the nations to drawback from war. The President wants very much to help to bring peace to an area of the world that for decadeshas been troubled by the violence, in Kashmir and in and around Kashmir. And that will be the President'sgoals. But right now, the whole focus is on drawing would-be belligerents back from an area that remains verytense, very delicate, where the potential of war remains.

Question: But if the parties ask the U.S. to impose a plan, or to suggest a plan?

Ari Fleischer: Well, again, that's why I said I'm not going to speculate about every contingency in thefuture. But at this point, the focus still remains on helping the parties to avoid war.

Question: Staying with India and Pakistan, we've heard a lot about individual countries trying to help ease thetensions, but we haven't heard an awful lot about the United Nations as a group involving itself. Is there arole for the United Nations to play here?

Ari Fleischer: Well, there typically is a role for the United Nations, and they are playing it. And this isan area where, as I mentioned, around the world many people are participating. I've cited previous occasionswith Jack Straw, the British Foreign Minister, and his diplomacy in the region, as well as the European Union,the United Nations. So it is an effort that unites many around the world.

Elizabeth?

Question: Ari, things were actually much worse between India and Pakistan about a week and a half ago. So the firstpart of my question is why didn't the President call then? I know he was in Europe and Russia, but it was much--

Ari Fleischer: He did. The President called prior to the trip, if you remember. The President made phonecalls to the leaders prior to his trip. And so the President has --

Question: The second call in how many -- a week and a half?

Ari Fleischer: I'll get you the precise, but probably in about three weeks.

Question: Okay. My second question is, does the President feel, as you were suggesting last week, that thecountries don't fully comprehend what a limited nuclear war would entail?

Ari Fleischer: I think, again, both parties are engaged in activities that need to be de-escalated and theworld is focused on helping them to reduce those tensions. I don't think there's any misunderstanding by theparties about what war can bring. War can bring dramatically harmful consequences to the region and to theworld. I think they recognize the dangers of war. The problem and one of the reasons that wars take place isbecause while nations are aware of the risks of war, they stumble into it anyway. The purpose of diplomacy isto help them to avoid taking any steps that would lead to war.

But I think there's an awareness in the region of what war can bring. That's why it's so important toremind that parties not to take any actions and, in fact, to take actions that lead to -- away from war.

Mark.

[...]

Question: Can you tell us how close India and Pakistan have come to a nuclear war? Did the intelligence tell youabout movement of missiles and warheads?

Ari Fleischer: Well, of course, if it was something that intelligence was reporting, I wouldn't be able toget into it. But this is why I have said -- and it's been said repeatedly, Scott McClellan said it last week-- that the situation is delicate. The situation is sensitive. And I don't have a daily tick-tock for howclose people can be to war. They can be close to war. Every effort is being made to prevent war.

Question: Would we know as a country if they began arming missiles, and if they began moving these missiles --

Ari Fleischer: Again, I'm not going to get into any of the United States' resources to monitor eventsaround the world. That's something I can't describe.

[...]

Question: One of the problems between India and Pakistan is that this Kashmir problem comes up every two or threeyears, and you get a dust-up over the situation there. Is there anything that we are doing now to address theunderlying problem, the fundamental difficulties --

Ari Fleischer: Well, as I indicated, I'm not going to speculate about events, all possible events. But theimmediate focus remains, because of the nature of the situation on the ground, to de-escalate and reduce thetension. That is something that has to come first. That's something that has to be focused on to create anenvironment for the parties to be able to do things more cooperatively with each other.

Question: Are you saying it's premature to address the fundamental problem of Kashmir and whether or not thereshould be a plebescite --

Ari Fleischer: I would just say there's an immediate concern that is at hand, and that immediate concern ishelping the parties to avoid war.

Question: So in other words, there's nothing that the U.S. wants to proceed on until you get a de-escalation --deal with the underlying problem of Kashmir?

Ari Fleischer: We will continue to explore ways that provide stability, a full range of ideas that can helpprovide stability. But the first step along those ways has got to be the avoidance of war.